Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-04-02
A Wild Western Scheme.

Tribune relates the following distress
ing experiences of Boston dude in his
trnitiess attempt TO ascertain the per
cent of loss during the past winter OH
his fathers cattle range in Montana:
"A prominent businessman Of Helena,
Mont, who arrived here Il few days ago,
brought with him quantity Of interest
ing information concerning the cattle
Interests of his territory. In the course
of description Of the effect upon range
cattle Of the storms and severe weather
ofthe past winter he made the statement
that many managers were reporting to
the eastern proprietors of their ranges
losses Of as much rs IS per cent in cattle
frozen and starved TO death While
pursuing an investigation designed to
corrobordte his statement, or to discover
the motive for the numerous reports
being circulated of the heavy losses sus.
tanned by cattlemen last winter, Tri-
bune reporter was made acquainted with
dustry in Montana, which, until now,
have escaped the notice of almost every
body but the grimly cheerful cow
puncher Of that region and eastern
capitalists who have been invelgled into
the beef-raising business. A careful
srutiny of the register of the Grand
Pacific Hotel, kept up for several days,
finally discovered name well known
among cattlemen. The register further
reve lied that the gentleman had Just ar
rived from Helena. His name is not
given here for reasons that will appear
presently. In answer to card sent TO
his room he returned verbal message
to the effect that when he wanted to see
a newspaper man he would call up the
office 10y telephone. The gentleman
had to come down to dinner however
and was captured in the hall. He was
dressed in light-colored clothes Of a
checked pattern, appeared lame, and
spoke with the style Of English accent
that is manufactured in Boston. He
was inclined to he crusty at first, but
finally submitted and led the way to his
room.
"Now," he said, as he sat down in an
easy chair with groan as though some
thing was the matter with his back,
IN give you the history of nv expert
ences for the last month provided you
promise not to use my name, and you
can draw your own conclusions. My
father owns several hundred square
miles Of land out in Montana, and lot
of cattle. | don't know how many cattle
he's got, Notwithstanding Im just come
from there, and don't care. know |
was sent out there to count 'em when
the manager reported that two.thirds Of
the herd had been frozen and starved
to death, and know I'd rather spend a
year in the penitentiary than to set out
on such deuced wild-goose chase
again"
Here the narrator paused long enough
to drag pillow from his bed and place
it in the chair under him. He groaned
a little and continued
"When | reached Helena / found a
young fellow from the ranch at the
hotel He said he'd been commissioned
to see that | was well treated during the
remainder Of my journey. Let me say
right here that from the moment | first
saw that young mans face / never was
worse treated in my life. My supper
and breakfast at the hotel have been
Nightmares to me ever since. They
gave me table to myself, and of all the
wretched cooking ! ever tasted what
they brought me was the worst. The
sheets of my bed were damp and /
caught cold that I've got yet. After
breakGs ! went down town to a res
taurant and had good square meal
Then | went back to the hotel and asked
my guide when the train started for the
ranch. He said there was no train, but
that the stage would start in half an
hour. 1t was only l40 miles. he said,
and we'd soon make it. We got into
the stage and for the first ten miles or
so the novelty OF the thino rather in